Investigating Incidental English Vocabulary Learning Through Roblox: A Case Study Of Elementary School Students

AFLAKHUNNI’AM, MUHAMMAD (2026) Investigating Incidental English Vocabulary Learning Through Roblox: A Case Study Of Elementary School Students. Undergraduate Thesis thesis, UIN K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid Pekalongan.

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Abstract

Incidental vocabulary learning through digital games has gained increasing attention in English language learning, yet studies involving elementary school students playing Roblox remain limited. This study explored how fifth-grade students acquired English vocabulary incidentally while playing Roblox and identified the challenges they encountered. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and gameplay documentation involving three fifth-grade students from a public elementary school in Pekalongan, Indonesia. The findings showed that participants demonstrated the six characteristics of incidental learning proposed by Marsick and Watkins (2015). Vocabulary learning occurred naturally through repeated gameplay, contextual inference, observation, trial and error, reflection, and interactions with friends rather than intentional study. Three major challenges were identified: difficulty in understanding unfamiliar vocabulary, high cognitive demand during gameplay, and differences in learners' prior vocabulary knowledge. These findings suggest that Roblox can provide meaningful opportunities for incidental English vocabulary learning by exposing young learners to authentic language in gameplay contexts, although guidance from teachers or parents is needed to maximize its educational potential.

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